Space Stations in Science Fiction
Space Stations are habitable artificial satellites usually orbiting planets but also occupying important locations in space. American science fiction pioneer Edward Everett Hale was the first to describe a space station. His 1969 short story "The Brick Moon", described an orbiting space station that served as a weather observatory. Since then, space stations have been described as scientific laboratories, astronomic observatories, transportation hubs, military bases, schools, and shopping malls, with the latter reflecting the increasingly intense retailing evident in contemporary images of international airports. Like passengers in airports, people living on or passing through space stations would be perfect "captive markets" retailers to exploit. List of Space Stations in Science Fiction A * Aerie (L4) - John Barnes's trology The Duke of Uranium, A Princess of the Aerie, and In the Hall of the Mountain King * Ahn'Kedar Orbital Platform - Mass Effect Galaxy. A Batarian Hegemony bioweapons research station. * Agmedra - Michael Cobley's Humanity's Fire series, Seeds of Fire, pp. 168-169 *''Albequerque Drift'' - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda * Ambaru - John G. Hemry (as Jack Campbell)'s The Lost Fleet series, one of the major military and civilian command and control points for the Systems Alliance, and a "neutral" meeting point between Captain (later Admiral) Geary and the Senate. * Artcturus Station - Mass Effect trilogy. The human Systems Alliance's capitol. * Arkology - - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda * Armistice Station - Galactica Battlestar Galactica 2004 television series * Atahualpa - Ben Jeapes's novel Phoenicia's World * Atol Pi Drift - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda * Auroras - Short Film * Avernus, a.k.a. Earth Observation Station (EOS) Avernus, (cultural anthropological observatory) - Brian W. Aldiss's Helliconia Trilogy * Avernus, Mass Effect, a Cerberus research station built beyond the Omega-4 relay. * Ayn Rand Station - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda B * Babylon (military base, shopping mall, diplomatic zone, destroyed) - Babylon 5 television series * Babylon 2 (military base, shopping mall, diplomatic zone, destroyed) - Babylon 5 television series * Babylon 3 (military base, shopping mall, diplomatic zone, destroyed) - Babylon 5 television series * Babylon 4 (military base, shopping mall, diplomatic zone, lost) - Babylon 5 television series * Babylon 5 (military base, shopping mall, diplomatic zone, destroyed) - Babylon 5 television series * Barbary Station (Waypoint Station) - R.E. Stearns's novel Barbary Station * Barn - Mass Effect, a Cerberus research station. * Basile - Ben Jeapes's novel Phoenicia's World * Base Sirius (military) - R.M. Meluch's novel Strength and Honor, p. 135 * Battle School (military school to train child soldiers) - Orson Scott Card's 1977 Ender's Game, unending reference * Benjamin Franklin Naval Space Station - John G Hemry's Paul Sinclair JAG in Space novels. Primary space station hub for the United States Navy's space forces. * Space Station Beta - Robert A. Heinlein's 1951 novel The Puppetmasters * Blacknest - Michael Cobley's Humanity's Fire series, Seeds of Fire, pp. 189-191 * Bryag Station - Michael Cobley's Humanity's Fire series, Seeds of Fire * Bubble - John Varley's short story "Blue Champagne" in his collection Good-bye, Robinson Crusoe and Other Stories * Bubbles Congeries (one of two technocratic democracies orbiting Earth/Luna) - Fritz Leiber's A Specter is Haunting Texas C * Capital Station - Una McCormack's novel Star of the Sea (Weird Space universe) * Cartagena Station - Mass Effect. A semi-civilized space station on the edge of the Abyss. * Cassis Drift - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda television series * Charles De Gaulle (Euro-Space Station) - Star Cops 1987 television series * Chrysalis II - Ben Bova's novel Leviathans of Jupiter * Circumluna (one of two technocratic democracies orbiting Earth/Luna) - Fritz Leiber's brilliant novel A Specter is Haunting Texas * The Citadel - A major setting in the original Mass Effect trilogy and novels. * Clarion' Call - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda, a former troop transport converted into a casino space station * Clarke County, Space - Allen Steele's 1990 Clarke County Space (transportation hub, shopping mall, community for oddballs) * Cloud Acre - Milton Cerny's (nonfiction) "Law of Outer Space-Some Hypothetical Problems" The American University Law Review. Vol. 7, No. 2. (1958): pp. 98-102. * Collector Base - Mass Effect. The sole operating base (though not homeworld) of the Collectors, located beyond the Omega-4 relay. * Command School (military school) - Orson Scott Card's 1977 Ender's Game, brief reference * Conclave HQ - John Scalzi's novel Zoe's Tale * Convocation Station - Charles E. Gannon's novel Fire With Fire * Cooper Station Interstellar 2014 film * Cosmopolis - William Sims Bainbridge's essay "Direct Contact With Extraterrestrials via Computer Emulation," in Douglas A. Vakoch and Albert A. Harrison, eds. 2011. nonfiction Civilizations Beyond Earth: Extraterrestrial life and Society. Pp. 196-198. * Cote d'Ivoire Station - John Scalzi's short story "The Tale of the Wicked" in The New Space Opera 2 * Covell - John Scalzi's Zoe's Tale * Crossroads Space Station - Mary Lowd's short story "Hypercrystal Wish" on DailyScienceFiction.com * Crystal Moon (orbits Jupiter) - Poul Anderson's short story "Hunters of the Sky Cave" in the collection Sir Dominic Flandry: The Last Knight of Terra * Cronos station - Mass Effect. Cerberus Headquarters. * Curie - L.A. Graf's Star Trek: The Original Series novel Ice Trap *''Cygnus Drift'' - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda D * Death Star - Star Wars universe * Deep Space 9 (also known as Terok nor) - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Series, All Seasons * Deep Space Station K7 - "The Trouble with Tribbles", Star Trek: The Original Series, Episode 42, Season 2, 12-29-67 * Deuteronomy - Marguerite Reed's novel Archangel * Dibaldipan Orbital - Iain M. Banks's novel The Hydrogen Sonata E * Earth Dock - John Scalzi's novel Redshirts * Earth-Moon Space Station Spot Three - Robert A. Heinlein's short story "Misfit" * El Dorado Drift - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda * Endurance - David Brin's novel Existence * Erasmus Habitat 1 - C.L. Anderson's novel Bitter Angels * Erasmus Habitat 2 - C.L. Anderson's novel Bitter Angels F * Federal Fleet Headquarters - Starship Troopers (movie) * Fort Eisenhower - R.M. Meluch's novel Strength and Honor * Fortress - David Drake's novel Fortress * Fortress Aeyrie - R.M. Meluch's novel Strength and Honor G * Goddard Station - Wendy N. Wagner's novel An Oath of Dogs * Gagarin Station - Mass Effect. Orbit located near Pluto and the Charon relay in the Sol System. Commonly referred to as "Jump Zero". * Gamma Station - Robert A. Heinlein's novel The Puppet Masters * Gangalia Drift - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda * Gargantua II - "What Color Is Your Cleansuit?" episode of the Venture Brothers animated television series * Garuda - Ben Jeapes's novel Phoenicia's World * Gateway - Marko Kloos' Frontline novels, a North American Commonwealth space installation. H *''Haukin Vora Drift'' - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda *''Haukon Tau Drift'' - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda *''High Guard Station GS-92196'' - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda * High Kili - Ben Jeapes's novel Phoenicia's World * Hive (L5) - John Barnes's trilogy The Duke of Uranium, A Princess of the Aerie, and In the Hall of the Mountain King * HomeAtLast - Iain M. Banks' Against a Dark Background * Space Station Horizon - Space Race: Part 1, Archer Season 3, Episode 9. March 15, 2012. * Howl of Clarity - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda I * International Antimatter Collector (IAMC) (Clarke's orbit) - David Wright's "Antimatter Dreams" Aphelion Vol. 13, Issue 139, December 2009 * Independence - Marko Kloos' Frontline novels, a civilian space installation in Earth orbit. J *''Jarrahe Station'' - Mass Effect. Salarian(?) research station, with the crew decimated by a computer virus/AI. *''Jon Grissom Academy'' - Mass Effect. Human research station and academy, dealing with biotics (telekinetics) and gifted students. K *''Kaver Station'' - Mass Effect. Batarian military outpost. *''Keyhole Station'' - Dead Space * Kuiper Belt Station - Gwyneth Jones' short story "The Voyage Out" in Periphery: Exotic Lesbian Futures, ed. by Lynne Jamneck L *''Lazarus Research Station'' - Mass Effect. Cerberus research station operated by the Lazarus cell to resurrect Commander Shepard. Abandoned to rogue robots, possibly destroyed. * Legion's Station - Red Dwarf television series * Lily Pad - Bruce Sterling's The Caryatids * Listening Post X-19 - Mass Effect. A Citadel Council station dedicated to keeping an eye on the territory of the extinct Rachni. * Longbow Station - Kristine Katherine Rusch's novel Diving the Wreck * Lorelei - Robert Asprin's 1992 novel Phule's Paradise (gambling mecca) M * Memory Alpha (also a planetoid) - "The Lights of Zetar," Star Trek: The Original Series, Episode 73, Season 3, 1-31-1969 *''Mendocino Drift'' - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda * Midway Station - Stargate Atlantis, a military installation between the Milky Way and Pegasus Galaxies intended to host a gate from each to allow easy transit between the two gate networks. Destroyed by the Wraith. * Minuteman Station - Mass Effect. Cerberus shipyard for the Normandy SR-2. N * Neris Orbital - Nathan Lowell's novel Quarter Share * New Jerusalem (Baptist colony) - G. David Nordley's novel To Climb a Flat Mountain. *''Newport News Orbital Shipyard'' - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda O *''Omega'' - Mass Effect trilogy. A hollowed-out asteroid with countless artificial additions, generally considered lawless and uncontrolled. * Orbiting Meadows (cemetery) - multiple episodes Futurama, image * Oberon '' -Plante of the Apes 2001 remake P * Palm D'Orbit (restaurant) - "Amazon Women in the Mood," Futurama Volume 3, Episode 1. *''Paradise Drift - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda * GDSS Philadelphia - Command and Conquer * Phoenix Orbital Academy (military school) - Scott Westerfeld's 1993 The Risen Empire * Phoenix Station - Allen Steele's 1991 novel Lunar Descent * Phoenix Station - John Scalzi's Zoe's Tale * Pinnacle Station - Mass Effect. A military training ground. *''Pierpoint Drift'' - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda * Port Hesperus - Paul Preuss's novels Arthur C. Clarke's Venus Prime V: Volume 1: Breaking Strain and Arthur C. Clarke's Venus Prime V: Volume 2: Maelstrom * Port Van Allen (Gateway to Earth) - Arthur C. Clarke's 1976 novel ' Imperial Earth', Pp. 92-96 *''Ptolemy Station'' - Dead Space * Puerto Alto (captured asteroid) - Ben Jeapes's novel Phoenicia's World R * R3ES1 - C.L. Anderson's novel Bitter Angels * R3ES2 - C.L. Anderson's novel Bitter Angels * R3ES3 - C.L. Anderson's novel Bitter Angels * Ragmuk Station - Donald Kinsbury's 2001 novel Psychohistorical Crisis * Rec Station (also possibly an asteroid) - Galaxina 1980 film * Riemann Orbital Geoffrey A. Landis's short story "The Sultan of the Clouds" Asimov's Science Fiction September 2010, pp. 76-106 * CMS Roanoke - Dead Space 3, a modular(?) orbital command platform used above Tau Volantis 3. * Rotor (8 km. across, orbiting Erythro) - Isaac Asimov's novel Nemesis S * Sarasrara Padma - Chris Roberson's 2011 novel Further: Beyond the Threshold * Saturn Artificial Satellite Four or Sas Four - Kim Stanley Robinson's novel Icehenge, pp. 242, 244 *''Scheherezade Drift'' - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda * Shanghai Cooperative Orbital Platform - Bruce Sterling's The Caryatids * Sigma 14-B - Philip K. Dick's The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch *''Sigma Tau Five Drift'' - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda *''Skeevara X'' - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda * Space Station One - Arthur C. Clarke's 1968 Film 2001: A Space Odyssey * Spaceland - Alfred Bester's novel The Demolished Man *''Starlight and Stillwater Orbital Monastery'' - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda * Star Base 2 - "Turnabout Intruder," Star Trek Original Series Episode 79, Season 3, 6-3-1969. * Star Base 4 "Let That be Your Last Battlefield," Star Trek: The Original Series, Episode 70, Season 3, 1-10-1969. * Star Base 6 - "Mirror, Mirror," Star Trek: The Original Series, Episode 39, Season 2, 10-6-1967. * Star Base 11 - "Court Martial," Star Trek: The Original Series, Episode 15, Season 1, 2-2-1967; "Menagerie (Part One)," Star Trek: The Original Series Episode 16, Season 1, 11-17-1966. * Star Base 12 (Gamma 400 star system) - "Space Seed," Star Trek: The Original Series, Episode 24, Season 1, 2-16-1967. * Star Base 27 - "This Side of Paradise," Star Trek: The Original Series, Episode 25, Season 1, 3-2-1967. * Star Base 200 - "The Alternative Factor," Star Trek: The Original Series, Episode 20, Season 1, 3-23-1967. T *''Takilov Drift'' - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda * Talus qua'spah - Allen Steele's 2012 novel Hex * Terok nor (also known as Deep Space 9) - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Series, All Seasons * Thoth Station - James S.A. Corey's 2011 novel Leviathan Awakes, Expanse series * Titan Station - Dead Space, often referred to as "the Sprawl". *''Topeka Drift'' - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda * Tycho Station - James S.A. Corey's 2011 novel Leviathan Awakes, Expanse series *''Typhoon'' - - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda, an abandoned military troop transport converted into a prison space station U *''Unity'' - Marko Kloos' Frontline series, a Sino-Russian Alliance (SRA) space installation in Earth orbit. V *Venus Equilateral - The Venus Equilateral series is a set of 13 science fiction short stories by George O. Smith, concerning the Venus Equilateral Relay Station, an interplanetary communications hub located at the L4 Lagrangian point of the Sun-Venus system. Most of the stories were first published in Astounding Science Fiction between 1942 and 1945. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_Equilateral *''Vindlegrot Drift'' - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda *''Volsung Aerie Orbital Platform'' - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda * Vulcan Station - Allen Steele's 1989 Orbital Decay W * Waypoint Station (Barbary Station) - R.E. Stearns's novel Barbary Station * Winnie-the-Pooh Acres - Philip K. Dick's novel The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch * Wilder's Station - Richard Paul Russo's Inner Eclipse, p. 70 *''Winnipeg Drift'' - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda * Winter Palace - Alastair Reynolds's novel Blue Remembered Earth * Wohnrad (German for 'Living Wheel') - Hermann Noordung's nonfiction 1929 The Problem of Spaceflight X * Xin Beijing - Marguerite Reed's novel Archangel, p.67 Y * Yankee Clipper (orbital nuclear weapons platform) - C.M. Kornbluth's Not This August Z *''Zoran Drift'' - Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda Unnamed * Alien experimental laboratory to discover the human soul in the 1998 film Dark City * The Geth Heretic Station in Mass Effect. No name is given, and given that it is populated by the majority of a renegade section of a hive-minded species, likely has no name. See Also * Head in the Clouds - Altered Carbon Background * Roger D. Launius. 2003. Space Stations: Base Camps to the Stars. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Books. ISBN 1588341298. Links * Orbital Habitat * Space Frontier * Gerard O'Neill's The High Frontier